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32 Best Benefits Of Cucumber (Kheera) For Skin, Hair, And Health

Popularly known as ‘khira/kheera’ or ‘kakdi’ in Hindi, cucumber is one of the oldest cultivated crops, believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is also known as ‘Dosakaya’ in Telugu, ‘Kakkarikkari‘ in Tamil, ‘Kani Vellarikka‘ in Malayalam, ‘Kakdi‘ in Gujarati, ‘Sosha‘ in Bengali, ‘Kakadi‘ in Marathi, and ‘Tar‘ in Punjabi. Cucumber or Cucumis sativus is a creeper that belongs to the Cucurbitaceous family.

It has a light to dark green color, thin skin, moisture-rich flesh with tiny edible seeds inside, and is enjoyed best in salads, sandwiches, or as a juice. It has a high water content that helps keep your body hydrated, and the low calorie content makes it a great choice for a weight loss diet. So let us try and understand how cucumbers help maintain our bodies in top shape.

3. Controls Puffiness Of The Eyes

If you are worried about eye puffiness, then cucumbers can provide you with instant relief.

What You Need

A sliced cucumber

What You Need To Do

Put two slices of cucumber on your eyes and let it stay for as long as you want.

Why Does It Work

The ascorbic acid and caffeic acid in cucumber brings down the water retention rate which, in turn, diminishes the swelling and puffiness around the eyes (3).Cucumber can easily reduce the puffiness in your eyes. Simply cut slices of cucumber, refrigerate it for a while and place it on your closed eyelids every day. This will not only bring down the puffiness, but also help you relax. It actually hydrates your eyes and lessens puffiness.

8. Reduces Dark Circles

Using cucumber slices around the eyes also reduces the appearance of dark circles quickly.

What You Need

Sliced cucumber Or

Cotton balls soaked in cucumber juice

What You Need To Do

Place two slices of cucumbers on the eyes and leave them for 20 minutes.

Alternatively, you can also soak two cotton balls in cucumber juice and place them on your eyes.

Why Does It Work

The abundance of antioxidants and silica in cucumber can help in slowly fading dark circles (8).Though cucumber cannot permanently cure your dark circles, it sure can make the skin around your eyes appear lighter on a temporary basis. The skin around our eyes is often found discolored, and these dark circles spoil the prettiest of faces. Cucumber comforts vessels around your eyes; hence helps bring back its normal tinge.

10. Reduces Eye Wrinkles

Cucumber is a natural moisturizer. The skin around our eyes is the thinnest in our body. Placing cold cucumber slices on your eyes can hydrate your eyes and the skin around. This, in turn, can help reduce lines and wrinkles around eyes. Hydrated skin means smoother skin. You can actually call cucumber an eye moisturizer.

11. Removing Excess Water

12. Under Eye Bags

Cucumber also helps toning down of under eye bags. Take a small inch of a cold cucumber and make a fine paste by grinding it. Now add either lavender oil or chamomile oil to it along with some honey. Blend it well and make it into a fine paste. Now apply this under your eyes using your fingers lightly. Leave this on for around 10-15 minutes and wipe using a damp cloth. This will help a lot in reducing the under eye bags.

Hair Benefits Of Cucumber

13. Reduces Hair Fall

Drink cucumber juice daily to control hair fall.

What Do You Need

Cucumber juice

What You Need To Do

Apply cucumber juice to your hair and scalp. Leave it on for an hour and then shampoo.

Why Does It Work

The most important benefit of cucumber for hair is primarily due to its content of silicon, sulfur, sodium, phosphorus, and calcium that are some of the most needed nutrients required for hair growth (10).

18. Fights Intestinal Worms

Why does It Work

19. Maintains Electrolyte Balance

Cucumbers regulate the blood pressure level in your body at the optimum.

Why Does It Work

Cucumbers are one of the best sources of potassium and contain 136 milligrams of potassium per 100 grams (16). Potassium in blood neutralizes the effects of sodium and helps maintain electrolyte balance (17).

20. Reduces Inflammation

Fresh cucumber extracts are also known to reduce unwanted inflammation.

Why Does It Work

It accomplishes the task by inhibiting the production of prostaglandin, the inflammatory compound (18). Cucumber has a substance called beta-carotene. This acts as an anti-oxidant. It helps fight free radicals and controls damage. It also promotes healing. Cucumbers are also rich in flavonoids which are great for reducing inflammation.

21. Beneficial For Diabetics

Why Does It Work

22. Is A Cancer Preventive

A recent study has found cucumber to be an effective remedy to fight different kinds of cancer.

Why Does It Work

Cucumbers are known to contain lignans that are found to reduce the risks of developing breast cancer, uterine cancer, and prostate cancer (20). It has some of the most important ingredients such as lariciresinol, pinoresinol, secoisolariciresinol that help in reducing the risk of all types of cancer. It has got photo-nutrients known as lignans that help in preventing cancer. Vitamin C found in cucumber seeds acts as an antioxidant and also improves the immunity system.

23. Good For Dental Health

Cucumber also combats bad breath.

What You Need

Cucumber slice

What You Need To Do

Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of the mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds.

Why Does It Work

The fruit releases phytochemicals that kill the bad breath causing bacteria (21). Cucumber juice can effectively treat gum diseases like pyorrhoea and weak gums (22). Cucumber keeps gums and teeth healthy as it removes bad odor from the mouth. The photochemical present in it kills the bacteria in the mouth. Regular consumption of cucumber with the seeds neutralizes acids in the mouth and promotes salivation.

24. Cures Hangover

Cucumber can also be used to cure a hangover and the headache associated with it.

What You Need

Few slices of cucumber

What You Need To Do

Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed.

Why Does It Work

This is because they help to rehydrate the body’s nutrients and eliminate the toxins that are present due to the intake of alcohol. The sugar, vitamin B, and electrolytes in the cucumber will reduce the intensity of the hangover and the headache (23).

Why Does It Work

26. Detoxifies Your Body

One of the most common benefits of cucumber is that it is a great detox.

Why Does It Work

Cucumber contains 95 percent water that hydrates and replenishes the body by eliminating the toxins. The high water content in cucumber acts as a system cleanser and sweeps the waste products out of the system (25).

27. Strengthens Bones

Cucumber is also known as a great remedy to strengthen your bones.

Why Does It Work

Vitamin K in cucumbers plays a very important role in strengthening bones by promoting orthotropic activity (26). Also, the high amount of silica in it promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissue (27).

Why Does It Work

Side Effects Of Cucumber

Sometimes, cucumbers have side effects that manifest differently in different people. Some of these reactions are discussed along with the precautions that should be practiced:

Allergies, especially around the oral cavity, itchiness, and swelling may also develop. This can be avoided by cooking the fruit rather than eating it in its raw form.

Cucumber can also lead to gastritis problems in some people that are mainly caused due to a compound known as cucurbitacin. This can be avoided by eating cucumbers that have undergone breeding or whose compound has been removed.

Cucumber can also cause toxicity and baldness caused by the chemicals found in them. This usually happens when one consumes excess cucumber.

Nutritional Value Of Cucumber

Here is the nutritional overview of cucumber:

Principle

Nutrient Value

Percentage of RDA

Energy

15 Kcal

<1%

Carbohydrates

3.63 g

3%

Protein

0.65 g

1%

Total Fat

0.11 g

0.5%

Cholesterol

0 mg

0%

Dietary Fibre

0.5 g

1%

Vitamins

Folates

7 µg

2%

Niacin

0.098 mg

<1%

Pantothenic acid

0.259 mg

5%

Pyridoxine

0.040 mg

3%

Riboflavin

0.033 mg

3%

Thiamin

0.027 mg

2%

Vitamin A

105 IU

3.5%

Vitamin C

2.8 mg

4.5%

Vitamin E

0.03 mg

0%

Vitamin K

16.4 µg

13.6%

Electrolytes

Sodium

2 mg

0%

Potassium

147 mg

3%

Minerals

Calcium

16 mg

1.6%

Iron

0.28 mg

3.5%

Magnesium

13 mg

3%

Manganese

0.079 mg

3.5%

Phosphorus

24 mg

3%

Phosphorus

Zinc

0.20 mg

2%

Phyto-nutrients

Carotene-ß

45 µg

—

Crypto-xanthin-ß

26 µg

—

Lutein-zeaxanthin

23 µg

—

Selection

When buying cucumbers, make sure that they are fresh. The color of the cucumbers should be light to dark green, and they should be firm in texture. Avoid buying cucumbers that have spots or cuts and are yellow in color. Also, wash them thoroughly before eating to remove pesticides and other harmful chemicals.

Storage

Cucumbers can be stored in the refrigerator for almost a week. If you have peeled the cucumber, then you can store it in an airtight container to prevent moisture from escaping. For optimum nutrition, a cucumber should be eaten within two to three days of purchasing. Also, they should not be left at room temperature for a long time as this can make them limp and wilt.

This wonderful low-calorie vegetable has more nutrients to offer than just water and electrolytes. It contains almost all the nutrients required for a balanced diet that not only help to maintain a healthy body, but also boost many other processes. So enjoy its many benefits and live a healthy life.

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